Thomas Kelley
Thomas Kelley

Bio

Tom Kelley is in his 25th year as Director of Athletics at Framingham State University and has been involved with the athletic department for over 40 years.  Since taking over as Athletic Director in 1994, Tom has changed the look of the coaching staff in every program and was instrumental in the addition of women's lacrosse as a varsity sport. 

A 1976 graduate of Framingham State College, Kelley was a four-year starter at defensive tackle for the Rams.  He returned to Framingham State in 1978 as an assistant football coach and assumed the head coaching job in 1982. Kelley served as head coach from 1982-1985 and returned to coaching again in 2001 as an assistant coach. 

Kelley returned to coaching again after the 2006 football season when he once again took over as head coach of the Rams football program and he stepped away from coaching in January 2020 after 13 highly successful seasons at the helm.

Kelley has an overall record of 107-59-1 during his two stints as the Rams head football coach including a 100-40 record over the last 13 seasons which featured an NEFC Championship, nine MASCAC Championships, five NCAA Tournament appearances and four bowl game victories.  In addition to the team success, the Rams first two AFCA All-American’s played during Kelley’s tenure, one on the offensive side of the ball and one on the defensive side.

In Kelley's 13 seasons at the helm, he has been recognized as a coach of the year eight times by five different organizations including in 2012 by the New England Football Writers when he was named as the NEFW Division II/III Coach of the Year.  Kelley has been tabbed as the MASCAC Coach of the Year (2014, 2015, 2018), the NEFC Bogan Division Coach of the Year (2012 & 2010), the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Coach of the Year (2011), and the Master Sports Coach of the Year (2010).

In his final two seasons, Kelley led the Rams to back-to-back MASCAC Titles and NCAA Tournament appearnances in 2018 and 2019.

In his first season, Kelley led the to a 2-7 record in his first season back on the sideline. In 2008 Kelley guided the Rams to a 5-5 mark, which was the Rams best finish since the 1986 season.  Kelley also saw the Rams first single season 1,000 yard rusher.

Kelley led the 2014 Rams to a 10-1 mark, the highest winning percentage in school history, including another perfect 8-0 mark in the MASCAC which gave them their third straight conference title.  The Rams featured 12 all-conference performers including the MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year and the Offensive Lineman of the Year as they captured the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl Title with a thrilling overtime victory over RPI.

In 2012  Kelley's Rams compiled a 10-2 record making their first trip to the NCAA Division III Football Championship.  The Rams earned the New England Football Conference's (NEFC) automatic bid after claiming their first NEFC Championship by defeating Salve Regina University in the league's final championship game.  The Rams captured their second consecutive NEFC Bogan Division Title with a perfect 7-0 mark in the division as they rattled off a school record 10 consecutive victories.  Kelley’s Rams featured the 2012 NEFC Bogan Division Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year as well as the ECAC Division III North Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.

The 2013 Rams went 9-2 overall and a perfect 8-0 in the first season with the MASCAC as the Rams primary football conference.  As a newly formed football conference, there was no conference automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, but the Rams made their second straight trip to the NCAA’s by earning a coveted at-large bid.  The 2013 Rams boasted 12 All-MASCAC performers as well as a D3football.com Third Team All-American and a pair of New England Football Writers All-New England Selections.

In 2010 Kelley guided the Rams to their first MASCAC Football Championship as the team established a then school record for victories.  The Rams went 9-2 overall and were the winners of the ECAC Northeast Bowl in their first ECAC Bowl appearance. The 2011 Rams repeated as MASCAC Champions and captured the NEFC Bogan Division Title with a 7-4 overall record and a 6-1 mark in the division. The Rams made their first appearance in the NEFC Title game and were defeated by Western New England in overtime.  Kelley's 2011 Rams featured the NEFC Bogan Division Offensive Player of the Year and Offensive Lineman of the Year and saw 11 student-athletes selected to the All-Bogan Division Teams.

After stepping away from coaching in 2020, Kelley assumed additional duties with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations where he will play a key role in engaging alumni, especially the student-athletes he played with and has coached.

Kelley holds a master's degree in psychology counseling from Boston State College and lives in Milford with his wife Jackie.